Aviano Community & Schools Theater (ACT) performance of Disney’s Descendants the Musical proves that evil can be good, especially when it’s performed by such a talented (massive) cast. Much like the popular namesake movie series, the musical focuses on the children of Disney’s villains as they attend the fairy tale world’s Auradon Prep school.

A comedic, family-friendly musical, Descendants the Musical is directed by Katie Pawlik and includes an impressive 64-member cast. The large scale of the performance has allowed a vast array of youth to get stage experience. It also invites the audience to see the fictional Auradon Prep the way it is meant to be seen: full of talented students! The cast shines during a high-energy sports number that finds the audience watching a tournament. Players hold shields and netted sticks, teams huddle together and the crowd cheers. Plus, it is all set to song. It’s not possible to watch without feeling like part of the fun.

At Auradon Prep this school year, four new students are attending. Their parents were originally banished to the Isle of the Lost with all the evil villains, but Mal (Aleese Lipscomb), Evie (Annika Haas), Jay (Sadie Palmrose) and Carlos (Harmony Taylor) have been selected to test the waters of returning to the fairy tale kingdom. Tension is high from the beginning as these four “Evils” enter the school.

Auradon is housed in a castle, and the set is magnificently painted, with rotatable three-sided set pieces called periaktois that are painted with familiar Disney scenes like the rose window from Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella’s glass slipper. Cast member costumes are beautifully done. There are famous Disney villains and students’ costumes that creatively nod to their character parentage. The way ‘good’ students are recognizable by their pastel clothing combinations and ‘evil’ ones are decked out in black is a subtle visual cue used to great effect.

This show has it all: Full cast musical blockbuster moments like a coronation scene with formal gowns and Broadway lighting, laugh-out-loud moments as villains video chat with their kids, and a magical ending that I won’t ruin for you. It truly hits the sweet spot for tweens and teens, too, because, as always, the kids save the day while the adults flounder.

Off-stage, Descendant theming permeates the theatre space, with a photo booth, kid coloring activities, and concessions like “Rotten to the Core apple juice.” Concession monies will be used to help fund four students attending DoDEA’s Dramafest in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The house opens an hour prior to the show and seats are not assigned, so arrive early, grab a seat and you may just catch yourself chillin’ like a villain.

Upcoming Shows

March 7, 2024 at 8:00 p.m.

March 8, 2024 at 8:00 p.m.

March 9, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.